Blackball rules again?!?

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Diana Bell
6 years ago
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2 Blackball rules again?!? I know what you re all thinking doesn t this get brought up every year? Yes it does but its never been properly explained everyone votes on a rule set they don t know much about. The point of this presentation isn t to persuade you to vote blackball, its to explain the rules so you can make an informed choice.

3 What s the difference between blackball and world rules? Legal shots Fouls Foul play deliberate fouls Skill/Combination shots Deciding who breaks The break Deciding/nomination of group Forced re-racks/stalemate

4 What s the difference: Legal shots To play a legal shot a player must cause the cue balls initial contact to be with an 'on' ball and THEN a. Pot any 'on' ball or balls, OR... b. Cause the cue ball or any other ball to contact a cushion An 'on' ball might include balls from either group. In the situation above, if the red ball falls short of the pocket and no ball strikes a cushionafter the cue ball hits the red, then the referee calls a foul. There is one exception to this definition... escaping from a snooker When successfully escaping a snooker, as in the situation on the right, it isnot necessary for a ball to touch a cushionafterthe object ball has been struck. It is sufficient for the cue ball to simply make contact with an 'on' ball Exactly the same as world rules but an on ball might include balls from either group or the black if a player has a 'free shot'.

5 What s the difference: Fouls You get two visits when your opponent fouls, usually you cannot move the white There are only a few situations where a free ball may be played or the cue ball can be moved: i. Cue ball can be placed behind the ii. baulk line if it is potted If a player is totally foul snookered (cannot see furthest extreme of both sides of one of their balls after the opponent fouls) they can nominate a specific free ball (black or opponents balls) OR move the cue ball behind the baulk line. If the player is still totally foul snookered after moving the cue ball they can nominate a free ball Two shots carry, so if you pot something with your first shot you still have two visits remaining You can leave the cue ball where it is or move the cue ball to behind the baulk line when your opponent fouls You get one free shot and one visit when your opponent fouls This first free shot first means you can hit any ball on the table, even the black The first free shot also means you can pot one of your opponents balls, but not the black unless you are on it The extra visit doesn t carry, so if you pot a ball with your first free shot then you only have one visit remaining After taking the free shot the player must then play an on ball and cannot hit opponents balls or the black unless they are on it There are no total foul snookers, if your opponent fouls then you can always move the cue ball or take a free ball. Standard snookers still have to be called and an on object ball hit If the cue ball is going in-off and the player catches the ball, preventing or disrupting it from dropping into the pocket then this is a loss of frame

6 What s the difference: Foul play deliberate fouls Deliberate fouls are allowed. The player can hit their opponents ball deliberately and give away two shots Deliberate fouls are NOT allowed. The player cannot hit their opponents ball deliberately. This is a loss of frame foul However there is an exception to the rule on the left the player 'on' yellows intentionally plays a yellow ball onto a red which is potted. The player was NOT on a free shot. In striking a ball from his own group first the player has fulfilled the requirements of a legal shot It is a foul for potting an opponent's ball, but is not loss of frame. This may be regarded as a tactical option, but only because the player hit their colour first and technically played a legal shot

What s the difference: Skill/Combination shots If a player pots his colour ball and then an opponents colour ball it is deemed a foul shot A skill shot is where two or more object balls can be potted

7 What s the difference: Skill/Combination shots If a player pots his colour ball and then an opponents colour ball it is deemed a foul shot A skill shot is where two or more object balls can be potted without penalty in a single shot. These maybe balls from both groups and could include the black ball. In such shots the balls can drop into pockets in any order. The object ball with which the cue ball makes initial contact must be a ball which can be legally struck A skill shot might be used to clear an opponent's ball which is 'blocking' a pocket. In the situation shown below the player on reds plays a skill shot. Potting both the red and yellow creates an opportunity for the player on red balls to clear the table Players may pot their last remaining group ball (or balls) and the black in the same shot and so win a frame. Initial contact, as always, must be with an 'on' ball. In this instance the player on yellows pots the final yellow ball and in the same combination shot wins the frame by potting the black ball In certain circumstances skill shot can be played in which two balls are potted in a single pocket. In this example the red ball is struck in such a way as to pot the black and then to follow through to drop into the same pocket and win the frame After a foul the oncoming player has a 'free shot' and may play onto any object ball on the table. Here, the player on reds may legally strike and pot the black ball and then, in the same shot, pot the last remaining group ball to win. Potting only the black would of course result in loss of frame

What s the difference: Deciding who breaks A coin is tossed, whoever wins the coin toss decides who breaks and then teams take alternate breaks The players from the first frame lag,

8 What s the difference: Deciding who breaks A coin is tossed, whoever wins the coin toss decides who breaks and then teams take alternate breaks The players from the first frame lag, whoever wins the lag decides who breaks and then teams take alternate breaks To lag, both players place an object ball by the baulk cushion (anywhere behind the line where you would break from). They then simultaneously shoot their ball so it bounces off the top cushion and returns to the baulk cushion The player whose ball stops closest to the baulk cushion wins the lag If a ball hits the side cushions, crosses into the opponents half, hits the top cushion twice or is potted it is deemed a foul lag and the lag would be awarded to the other player

9 What s the difference: The break The rack layout is the same in world rules and blackball rules The rack layout is the same in world rules and blackball rules The break is legal if two object balls come back past the middle of the table (imaginary line below joining middle pockets at centre) or an object ball is potted The break is legal if four object balls hit a cushion or an object ball is potted If the break is a foul the other player gets 2 visits. Balls are re-racked or played from where they are If the black is potted on the break it is a void break and the balls are-racked with the same player to break again If the cue ball is potted on a legal break it is a non-standard foul and the other player only gets one visit with the ball in hand If the break is a foul the other player gets a free shot and one visit. Balls are re-racked or played from where they are If the black is potted on the break it is a void break and the balls are-racked with the same player to break again If the cue ball is potted it is a standard foul and the other player gets one free shot and one visit

What s the difference: Deciding/nomination of group If you pot a ball off the break you must nominate to be either colour but you must have potted that colour in order to be on that colour i.

10 What s the difference: Deciding/nomination of group If you pot a ball off the break you must nominate to be either colour but you must have potted that colour in order to be on that colour i. For example if you pot a red from the break, and you nominate red as your colour, then you are red as you ve ii. already potted one If you had nominated yellow you would need to pot a yellow or else the table would still be an open table meaning your opponent could be any colour/group If nothing is potted from the break then play continues with an open table until a object ball is legally potted If there is an open table then an object ball (not the black) can be hit into another of opposite colour to pot it and be on it. As below the yellow is hit into the red to pot the red. This cannot be done if the table isn t open e.gyou nominated red from the break, hitting a yellow into the red would be a foul shot With an 'open table' the designated group (whether a player continues on red or yellow balls) is NOT determined in the following situations... i. On the break shot ii. When a foul is played on a shot iii. iv. When taking a free shot after a foul Where a combination shot is played in which balls from both groups are potted (see below) With the exception of the above situations, if a player pots a ball or balls from a single colour the player is then 'on' that colour for the duration of the frame. If the table is open and the player pots a red and yellow then the player must nominate. Failure to nominate is a standard foul So, above, pottingonlythe red in the middle pocket would determine 'reds' as that player's group; but pot both red and yellow in a combination shot and the table remains open until the time a single colour group is potted. There is NO nomination required As on the left diagram if there is an open table then an object ball 9not the black) can be hit into another of opposite colour to be on it and would be a foul if the table was not open

11 What s the difference: Forced re-racks/stalemate A player can deliberately foul, so there would never be a forced re-rack Where no legal shot is playable, whether this be by accident or design (on purpose), the frame will be re-started Top right, the black and two reds by the pocket on the table. The player is 'on' the black. The cue ball cannot pass beyond the reds to strike the black. This is a 'stalemate' and there is a re-rack Moving clockwise, the cue ball is touching the black and must be played away from that ball. The player is on reds. However, regardless of the direction in which the cue ball can be played, what matters is the space between black and yellow. If the cue ball is able to pass through that gap then it is theoretically possible to play a legal shot and the player must attempt to do so In the final example a legal shot can be attempted, although it's unlikely to be successful. There are two pathways to the black ball between the reds, so it's NOT a stalemate. If there is a stalemate caused by accident there is a re-rack and the original breaking player breaks again with a 15 ball rack. If there is a stalemate caused by design (on purpose) or slow or negative play there is re-rack and the players lag to see who breaks. The re-rack will be a 9-ball re rack (rack as normal removing the apex ball and back five balls)

12 Difference World Rules Blackball Rules Legal Shots After contact with an on object ball a on ball must be legally potted or any other ball must hit a cushion (being snookered is an exception where just the on object ball needs to be hit) Fouls 2visits shots carry Can only move cue ball behind baulk line if it is potted When there is a total foul snooker you can take a nominated free ball or move the cue ball behind the baulk line Is exactlythe same however if the player has a free shot then they may hit any ball on the table as these will be deemed as on balls for the free shot 1 free shot and one visit shots do no carry The cue ball can be moved behind the baulk line or played from where it is after any foul If the cue ball is going in-off and the player catches the ballpreventing it going into the pocket cleanly this is a loss of frame Foulplay deliberate fouls Skill/Combination shots Deciding who breaks Deliberate fouls are allowed. The player can hit their opponents ball deliberately and give away two shots If a player pots his colour ball and then an opponents colour ball it is deemed a foul shot A coin is tossed, whoever wins the coin toss decides who breaks and then teams take alternate breaks Deliberate fouls are NOT allowed. The player cannot hit their opponents ball deliberately. This is a loss of frame foul. However they can hit their own ball first and foul this is not a loss of frame as they will have made a legal shot first A skill shot is allowed. Balls pottedmay be balls from both groups andcouldinclude the black ball Balls can drop into pockets in any order The object ball with which the cue ball makesinitial contactmust be a ball which can be legally struck The players from the first frame lag, whoever wins the lag decides who breaks and then teams take alternate breaks The break Same rack layout Legal break - Four objectballs must hit a cushion Legal break cue ball is potted 1 visit with ball in hand Black is potted re-rack with same player to break Foul break re-rack or play on with other player to have 2 visits Deciding/Nomination of group If a ball is pottedfrom the break the player MUST nominate If the table is open after the break a player must legally pot to be on a colour If the table is open and a player pots two different colours they MUST nominate Same rack layout Legal break 2 balls must come pastthe middle of the table Legal break cue ball is potted 1 free shot and 1 visit Black is potted re-rack with same player to break Foul break re-rack or play on with other player to have 1 free shot and one visit There is no nomination After the break the player must legally pot a ball to be on a colour If the table is open and a player pots two different colours the table is still open until a single colour group is legally potted Forced re-racks/stalemate A player can deliberately foul, so there would never be a forced re-rack Where no legal shot is playable, whether this be by accident or design (on purpose), the frame will be re-started: If by accident 15 ball re-rack and original breaking player breaks If due to slow or negative play 9 ball re-rack with a lag for the break

1. Setting up the balls and breaking off. 2. A legal break defined. 3. An open table and determining groups. 4. With an open table play any group ball

1. Setting up the balls and breaking off The balls are racked as shown, with the black ball positioned at the intersect of two imaginary diagonal lines. The winner of the lag decides who is to break. Thereafter